AIRPORT SPAS GROWING IN POPULARITY

The idea of airport spas is not an entirely new one, but nevertheless it now witnesses a big growth. As the name says, this kind of spa is located at an airport. It offers short treatments like 15-minute chair massage (a massage performed when a customer sits fully clothed in a special chair that cradles their face while the massage therapist works on their back and shoulders) or oxygen therapy, but it could also provide longer treatments. As the terrorist attacks of 9/11 brought about the endless security measures, travelers have to spend their time somehow. This is the main reason why there are so many airport spas popping up these days. The idea is that a traveler should release their stress, muscle tightness and other uncofortable feelings caused by traveling.

Bruce Schoenberg, co-owner of the Manhattan-based Oasis spas, said about their newly-opened Oasis mini-spa that they had no trouble attracting customers. He said: “We’ve gotten everything from ’it’s about time’ to ’thank God you’re here.’ Nevertheless, opening an airport spa is not as easy as it might seem. According to Mr. Schoenberg, the biggest problem is to convince potential employees that an airport is a great place to work. Apart from commuting, employees have to undergo background checks and other security measures. They also have to be retrained to be able to provide their services fast so that the customers do not miss their flights. Time is the cornerstone of this business. The customer has to be offered a service that can be performed exactly in the time gap they have before boarding.

You can find an airport spa for example at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, at Denver International Aiprot and at Washington International Airport. In Newark, The Massage Bar in Terminal A offers 15-minutes of seated massage for $21 or 30 minutes for $39. Ten minutes of foot refexology is $15.